[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 73761]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30431]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration


Notice To Rescind the Notice of Intent To Develop the 
Environmental Impact Statement: Kings County, NY

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA, United States Department 
of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice to rescind the Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this rescinded notice to advise the public 
that the FHWA will not be preparing an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the proposed project involving approximately 3.8 miles of the 
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE), Interstate 278 (I-278) in Kings 
County, New York (Project Identification Number X729.94). This segment 
of the BQE referred to as the Gowanus Expressway, extends from Sixth 
Avenue to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and contains 23 structures with a 
total deck area of approximately 2,000,000 square feet. A Notice of 
Intent to prepare an EIS was published in the Federal Register in 
November 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan McDade, Division 
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, New York Division, Leo 
W. O'Brien Federal Building, 7th Floor, Clinton Avenue and North Pearl 
Street, Albany, New York 12207, Telephone: (518) 431-4127; or
    Mr. Phillip Eng, P.E., Regional Director, New York State Department 
of Transportation, Hunters Point Plaza 47-40 21st Street, Long Island 
City, New York 11101, Telephone: (718) 482-4526.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the New York 
State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) previously intended to 
prepare an EIS to evaluate alternatives regarding the rehabilitation or 
reconstruction of the Gowanus Expressway (BQE I-278) in Kings County, 
New York, from Sixth Avenue to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel.
    The purpose of the original Project was to address various 
geometric, operational, and structural deficiencies associated with the 
structures.
    The Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS was published in the Federal 
Register in November 1996 following completion of an Environmental 
Assessment. At that time the rehabilitation alternatives had cost 
estimates in the range of $700 million. Subsequently, in response to 
public comments, a tunnel alternative was added.
    During preliminary design, the cost estimates increased to 
approximately $2 billion for the rehabilitation alternatives while the 
cost estimate for the tunnel alternative was determined to be greater 
than $15 billion.
    The economic downturn has affected all areas of government and 
Transportation is not an exception; recent projections show 
insufficient funds to meet our infrastructure needs. In response to 
this, NYSDOT is reevaluating its program with emphasis on preserving 
our existing assets to ensure a continuous system wide operations and 
safety of its facilities. NYSDOT proposes to terminate the EIS for this 
project because: (1) Structures at other locations have pressing needs 
which must also be addressed and (2) the cost of the alternatives being 
evaluated do not fall within NYSDOT's funding constraints.
    To assure the continued safe operation of the Gowanus Expressway 
the structural deficiencies will be addressed in the intermediate term 
through a series of projects.

    Issued on November 16, 2011.
Jonathan D. McDade,
New York Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-30431 Filed 11-28-11; 8:45 am]
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